THE MIGHTY BURBOT Don’t forget about those fish with the whiskers ! As the ice fishing season moves toward March, many anglers target schooled panfish like yellow perch. Some of the best perch fishing happens from now until ice off. You will also have a good shot at some real trophies in the two pound range with the big females putting on extra weight with eggs. That same holds true for walleye and pike. I love last ice because of the variety of opportunities that are presented. All are extremely great options to make for late ice memories, but there’s…
Author: Dave Shmyr
Dave Shmyr
Dave Shmyr recently moved to Sooke on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. He now spends his spare time as a saltwater fishing guide. Dave has fished and guided on many of the lakes and rivers in western Canada. Dave is also an accomplished tournament angler, who also loves to travel to different parts of Canada to fish. You can find Dave on his facebook account under the name of his guide service Koobies Krankers Fishing Adventures.
SPRING HAS SPRUNG AND SO HAS WALLEYE SEASON! Fishing many spring walleye tournaments over the years the biggest factor and most important thing on your list is what is the water temperature. By spending so many days documenting all my pre-fishing, guiding, and all other days on the water it has saved me so much homework for each year going forward. Not only do you save money on gas going to the right areas first but you up your odds on more successful days before you even get a line wet. KEEP A DIARY! When the water is super cold…
Editors Note; In this three part series our group of professional anglers and writers share their keys to early season success on the ice. This is the second best time of the year to catch a trophy fish in the hardwater season, so lets get you ready! EARLY ICE SUCCESS During late fall many anglers have shifted their focus to hunting season, the fishing pressure dropping drastically in the last three months prior to first ice. This gives our smaller lakes a much-needed break creating some great early ice action. The strikes can be explosive and the days can be…
THE FISH ARE STILL OUT THERE! As fall begins many of the local fishermen and guides shut their fishing down for the year. Their focus shifts to hunting and other jobs they do during the slow months That’s true the bite does slow down this time of year but so does the traffic on the water. Fall is and will always be my all-time favourite time of year. The beautiful change in colours, the breathtaking sunrises and sunsets are hard to beat. One of my favourite parts is the cooler weather because this Ukrainian boy overheats in 30 degree Celsius. THE…
EDITORS NOTES: Long time Hooked Contributor Dave Shmyr moved to the West Coast from Alberta a couple of years ago to work with his brother. Dave has embraced the fishing in that part of the world, though it has been a major adjustment. Last July some friends and I did a day trip to the Ucluelet on the southwest corner of Vancouver Island. Although I have spent a lot of time bouncing around in the big waves on Lesser Slave Lake, it has been an awfully long time since I tested out the old sea legs on the ocean. From…
SOLID ICE I tend to make sure the lakes I chase multi species fish on are froze solid before I attempt them, which is often a week or two after the small trout lakes are safe. Often the ice in Alberta on these stocked trout lakes is walkable during hunting season until the end of November. As always, I try and fit in both options at this time of the year! One nice feature about fishing stocked trout is that it involves little gear. This allows you to go for your morning hunt, then make your way to the lake…
NOVEMBER IS GO TIME! For those of us who love to both hunt and fish, November can be a busy time. Our lakes are just starting to freeze over and rut season is kicking in full time. Throughout the years my friends and I have always been in this situation. What do we do. Should we hunt? Fish? What if that big buck shows up and someone else gets him. What if the fishing’s really good though. You know we need a good haul of whitefish for the smoker? TOUGH DECISIONS This can be hard on the mind what to…
A MECCA FOR TROPHY FISH! Ever since my brother and I were very young we were fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to join our father on a yearly trip to Nipawin, Saskatchewan. The anticipation for this trip still makes me think about it months on end prior to departure. Wondering where the hot bites will take place and what kind of monster fish would join us for a few pictures. Not sure how dad was able to pull strings getting us to miss school for a week every October, but sure glad he was able to for so…
As the water warms up, vegetation starts to impact weed growth, creating a jungle for all! These weeds hold a ton of aquatic life from plankton, different insect larvae, minnows, baitfish, and of course all kinds of predators. Something is missing on that list and that some something is anglers. Although these areas can be frustrating with snags, (like your trying to golf your way out of a bunker), the rewards can be amazing. BIG FISH LIVE HERE! Some of the thickest walleye, pike and perch we have caught this time of season are calling these areas home. Many of these fish don’t leave these areas and spend their entire summer season here, because it’s like an all-day buffet! These predators that live in the…
Many lakes have numerous spawning grounds. This could be a rock shoal, creek mouth, or shallow bays. These are 3 areas I love to target this time of year because they are loaded with fish that are spawning or just finishing up the spawn. Typically, the walleye spawn takes place between 45-55 F, but it can vary depending on how far north or south you are. I would like to share a few basic tactics I use when fishing these three key areas. They have been very influential to my success in spring walleye tournaments. In fact, one lake the spring tournament is won in one of these three areas almost every year. The only…